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Quantum Physics

Title:Landauer's principle in the quantum domain

Abstract: Recent papers discussing thermodynamic processes in strongly coupled quantum
systems claim a violation of Landauer's principle and imply a violation of the
second law of thermodynamics. If true, this would have powerful consequences.
Perpetuum mobiles could be build as long as the operating temperature is
brought close to zero. It would also have serious consequences on thermodynamic
derivations of information theoretic results, such as the Holevo bound. Here we
argue why these claims are erroneous. Correlations occurring in the strongly
coupled, quantum domain require a rethink of how entropy, heat and work are
calculated. It is shown that a consistent treatment solves the paradox.